House (not starting) Battery

[aa9zz]

I need to replace the house battery in my 2010 Airstream Interstate 3500 with lounge seating and bed. Can someone tell what class battery it is? I would like to get a battery to have on hand when I take the old one out. I live in a rural area and don't want to have to wait a week for one to be delivered. I assume most would suggest an AGM?

[Lily&Me]

An AGM is what was recommended by Interstate Batteries and just put into mine, for the reasons I have already posted, although that's all I can tell you as I know nothing more.

It may be the thing to do is to pull the old one, or at least get to it, and see what is already in there. ?

Could also call the service center at JC and I'm sure they would be glad to help you.

Good luck,


Maggie

[Bikerbill]

You could also search online at the Sprinter Forum, Sprinter-Source.com - The best reSource for Sprinter van owners and enthusiasts., or you could post the question there under SPRINTER TALK or the NCVS TALK, or you could go online to say INTERSTATE BATTERIES and look at what is listed as the size for your Sprinter, or you could call a Sprinter dealer.

Or you could just Google 2010 Mercedes 3500 Sprinter van battery and see several choices of batteries but they are are the same class battery. I'll let you look.

[PSchw]

This is also a good time to look into increase capacity by using 6V batteries. There is a lot of good information on forum about it.
Good luck.


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[UKDUDE]

All Interstate parts manuals are online and you can usually find lot of useful information in them. For the 2010 model, the parts manual is here:
http://www.airstream.com/wp-content/...tate-parts.pdf
It says you need a 12 volt deep cycle group 24 AGM.
The latest models use Lifeline batteries:
Lifeline Batteries - Marine & RV Deep Cycle Batteries
An upgrade to 2 6volt batteries may be desirable for more capacity, but you may not have the room.

[Bikerbill]

And why would one need to increase capacity for a starting battery?

[aa9zz]

I may have mis-posted. This is not the starting battery. It is the battery under the bed in the back used for operation and functions other than starting.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by aa9zz

I need to replace the house battery in my 2010 Airstream Interstate 3500 with lounge seating and bed. Can someone tell what class battery it is? I would like to get a battery to have on hand when I take the old one out. I live in a rural area and don't want to have to wait a week for one to be delivered. I assume most would suggest an AGM?

12v Group 24 AGM, about 84 amp-hours each. My 2012 has two of them, stacked one on top of the other, with a plywood false floor in between. If yours has the same setup be very careful when disconnecting the batteries; until they're BOTH disconnected, the red wire is still hot. Don't ask how I discovered this shocking secret…

[Bikerbill]

That makes a BIG difference in answering the question. But I would go for the AGM battery as they do not gas off as wet cells can. But your battery box is probably vented to the outside.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Bikerbill

That makes a BIG difference in answering the question. But I would go for the AGM battery as they do not gas off as wet cells can. But your battery box is probably vented to the outside.

Definitely vented. But not terribly accessible when the batteries need to be topped off with water. Hence the need for AGMs, that never have to be topped off.

[J. Morgan]

One advantage of lead acid batteries is that it doesn't hurt so bad when they get ruined because they are accidentally discharged flat a couple of times....

Just sayin...

[Bikerbill]

Follow the instructions. Use a good inverter. Learn about your electrical system and battery. There should be no need for running the batteries down below 50% repeatedly. When parked and not in use. Turn off Master Switch and park in sunlight for the solar panel. Or if possible plug into shore power to maintain the battery. Or, if you can afford to, switch to Lithium batteries which can stand repeated low discharges.

[J. Morgan]

Do AGM batteries or lithium batteries really make economic sense?

In my use of them the haven't.

[Lily&Me]

I was told to get the AGM battery because it rides under the passenger seat, inside, and doesn't give off the gases mentioned by BikerBill....like the last replacement battery we got, not knowing this.

It is significantly more expensive, however.


Maggie

[lewster]

AGM batteries make perfect sense if;

• you never again want to worry about adding water.

• you never again want to deal with corroded terminals or metal parts near the batteries.

• you want your batteries to last 7-10 years (with proper charging.

• you never want to mess with your batteries again.

Contrary to popular belief, you will not kill an AGM If you deeply discharge it, as long as you re-charge it soon after the deep discharge.

Lithiums are another story. Extremely expensive ( presently about $8-10/amp-hour), require VERY SPECIFIC charge profiles, and will be damaged by extremely deep discharging, yet they still have all if the other AGM characteristics.

On the plus side, they will outlast anything else on the market with 3000-5000 charge cycles and can be drawn to 80% depth of discharge on a regular basis with no ill effects.

In addition, they are 1/3 the weight of an AGM. I'm presently beta testing a new lithium formula in a pair of 100 amp/hour units. They are replacing a pair of Lifeline GL-6CT AGMs at 300 amp/hours

They will be charged with 500 watts of solar thru a Blue Sky 40 amp MPPT controller.

I'll be starting a thread soon on the results. Stay tuned.


Lew Farber
RVIA/RVDA Nationally Certified Master Tech
Master Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
AM Solar Certified Installation Center
Lifeline Batteries**Magnum Inverters
541-490-6357

[Lily&Me]

What does one need to do to take very good care of these expensive AGM batteries?

Maggie

[lewster]

Keep them properly charged. The less voltage (use) that is removed, the longer they last.

According to Lifeline, at a regular draw of 50%, you can expect 1000 charge cycles. Reduce the draw to 25% and you get 3000 charge cycles Use the batteries lightly at 10% draw and you get 5000 charge cycles.


Lew Farber
RVIA/RVDA Nationally Certified Master Tech
Master Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
AM Solar Certified Installation Center
Lifeline Batteries**Magnum Inverters
541-490-6357

[Lily&Me]

That's not real clear to me.

Driving recharges, or plugging into electricity. I do understand that part.

You're saying, for example, that one should not dry camp for 5 days and run the battery completely down. Better to run them down a bit (an overnite or two), charge by driving, run them down a bit, charge by driving, etc.

Correct?


Maggie

[Bikerbill]

Or do like we did when we dry camped with ours. In the morning turn on the generator while making breakfast. Left genny run inverter for charging, m-wave for cooking and water heater on electric. Exercised the genny and charged the batteries at the same time.

[Lily&Me]

Thanks.

We have always tended to use the generator as little as possible....only when necessary or to give it a bit of exercise.

If running it will prolong the life of this expensive battery, however, I will do things differently.


Maggie